Method and device for obtaining relevant traffic information and dynamic route optimizing

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for dynamically obtaining relevant traffic information and/or for dynamically optimizing a route followed by a first vehicle which belongs to a self-organizing traffic information and/or traffic guidance system to which other vehicles belong as well. Said method consists of the following steps: generating own data by means of vehicle-mounted sensors and/or other information sources in the first vehicle; transmitting data relevant to the first vehicle or other vehicles; receiving data transmitted by other vehicles; storing data obtained from received and/or own data; generating and transmitting requests regarding data which can possibly be provided by other vehicles; and potential relaying received data by retransmitting said data in processed or unprocessed form.

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining relevanttraffic information and for dynamic optimization of a route of vehiclespertaining to a self-organizing traffic guidance system in accordancewith the preambles of claims 1 and respectively, and in particular to amethod for a self-organizing system for traffic guidance, signalingtraffic disturbances and extraction of statistical data, as well as to amethod for efficient, purposeful dissemination of third data in aninformation network under formation.

Previous methods or devices for traffic guidance to a large extent relyon an external, fixedly installed traffic detection or on centralinformation processing, respectively.

In order to increase the rate of vehicles passing through a particulartraffic section and thus to increase the mean velocity of the vehiclesin particular in the event of an elevated traffic volume, conventionaltraffic guidance systems have already been fixedly installed alongtraffic sections particularly that are subject to particularly intenseutilization such as, for example, heavily frequented highways etc. Thelike conventional, fixedly installed traffic guidance systems possess amultiplicity of detection devices detecting, for example, trafficdensity, the velocity of the flow of vehicles, the environmentalconditions such as, e.g., temperature or fog, etc., and by means of therespective detection signals control vehicle traffic along thepredetermined amended documents section with the aid of indicatorpanels, such that a uniform traffic flow having a maximum possiblevelocity is created.

One drawback in such conventional traffic guidance systems is theirfixed installation along a predetermined road section, resulting inextraordinarily high purchasing costs. In addition, such a fixedlyinstalled traffic guidance system only has low flexibility as itexclusively controls or guides traffic in relatively short sections.

In order to enhance flexibility, U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,086 proposes acommunication system between a multiplicity of vehicles, wherein signalsand information are transmitted in accordance with the respectiverunning conditions of the vehicle via a a transmitter/receiver unit withthe aid of electromagnetic radio waves.

Moreover from U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,544 a device and a method forsignalling local traffic disturbances are known, wherein the vehicledata or running conditions of the vehicle such as, e.g., the speed, theroute and the direction are mutually transmitted via communicationmeans. Transmission of the respective data to another vehicle is hereinachieved in an indirect manner by way of an oncoming automobile.

A method and apparatus in accordance with the preambles of claims 1 and58, respectively, is known from DE-A-40 34 681.

In the former traffic guidance systems, the vehicle data are eitherdetected in a locally limited area by fixedly installed equipment andare only available locally, or they are detected in a large area by aplurality of mobile means, but are relayed with such a low degree ofefficiency as to also be only available locally, wherein the planning oroptimization of a route of vehicles beyond a local area withconsideration of traffic-relevant quantities of the entire travellingdistance is not supported. It is, however, not known to dynamicallyobtain relevant traffic information.

The invention is therefore based on the object of furnishing a methodand apparatus for dynamically obtaining relevant traffic information,wherein relevant traffic information is created in a second locationwhich may be at any distance whatsoever from a first location, and isefficiently relayed to the first location.

In accordance with the invention, this object is attained through themeasures and features of claims 1 and 58.

Further advantageous developments are the subject matters of thedependent claims.

The method of the invention for dynamically obtaining relevant trafficinformation and for dynamic optimization of a route of a first vehiclepertaining to at least one self-organizing traffic information systemand traffic guidance system to which further vehicles pertain, includesthe following steps performed by the first vehicle: creating own data onthe basis of at least one of on-board sensors and other informationsources in the first vehicle; emitting data that are relevant for thefirst vehicle or for other, corresponding to a broadcast; receiving datatransmitted by other vehicles; storing data obtained from at least oneof received and own data; creating and transmitting inquires concerningdata which may be furnished by other vehicles, corresponding to arequest; and relaying of received data by re-transmission of these datain a processed or unprocessed form, corresponding to a replication.

Thus the method according to the invention in principle allows for anautonomous, self-organizing traffic information network in which theparticipating vehicles at the same time generate, distribute, bundle andutilize the required information.

The method operates in a particular scale-invariant manner, i.e.fractal-hierarchical manner, so that with respect to the type ofprocessing and with respect to the communication volume—at least withregard to dynamic route optimization and signalling of trafficdisturbances which constitutes a safety aspect—it is not of importancewhat order of distances is aimed at.

The method is operable on highway networks just like in a street networkof a large city.

In particular the communication volume scales well, i.e. “<n*log n”,with the overall number of participating vehicles and the surface of thearea.

Despite the fundamental autonomy of the system, however, centrallygenerated information may also smoothly be routed into the system, andinformation may also be extracted from the system, e.g. for statisticspurposes, and compiled centrally.

An enormous advantage in terms of costs, optimum efficiency, a highdegree of failure safety and at the same time a bundled increased valueas well as a unified user interface are thus achieved in comparison withexisting methods. At a high degree of implementation, this system may inaddition be used as a safety system.

Besides, the network formed through the instant method also offers anextremely efficient platform for the transmission of third data up tomobile telephony. It is even readily possible to enhance effectivity ofthe resulting communication network through utilization or smoothintegration of a backbone line network.

In particular the method and apparatus of the instant invention mighthave the following further features.

Inquiries might be answered, partly answered, relayed and/or partlyrelayed, corresponding to a response and a replication.

Answering inquiries and/or handing on inquiries and other data areperformed by vehicles having a suitable/optimum information status orhaving a favorable/optimum current position for relaying, whereby anoptimization of answering and relaying is achieved.

In steps [a] and [d] of the method, travel history data are additionallycreated by the vehicles, whereby the significance of the data isincreased.

In steps [b] and [c] of the method, a source group of vehiclesassociated with the first vehicle are designated for receiving data fromrespective vehicles; herein the data may be stored, accumulated andpreprocessed in the receiving vehicles for the purpose of generatingsource data for the subsequent steps, corresponding to a first sourceformation.

In preprocessing the source data, mean velocities, maximum velocities,traffic density measures, backup sensitivities, bundled up-to-datenessmeasures and/or bundled relevance measures may be calculated,corresponding to a second source formation.

Designation of the group of vehicles is performed by designating anadjustable transmitting field strength or transmitting range of thefirst vehicle, thereby defining a first transmitting range.

The adjustable transmitting field strength is controlled such that onthe average a predetermined criterion with respect to a parametrizablenumber of vehicles within reach is satisfied, thereby defining a secondtransmitting range.

The transmitting field strength control may incorporate positions andemployed transmitting field strengths of neighboring vehicles encodedinto the received signals, thereby defining a third transmitting range.

The route of the first vehicle from its current position to a selectedtarget is determined by means of stored way data, and the route issubdivided into way segments.

The first vehicle can transmit inquiries for information relating to apracticability and other traffic-relevant quantities on candidate waysegments to be travelled later on.

Replies to inquiries by the first vehicle are returned to the firstvehicle directly or via relaying, wherein the information in the repliesmay also be received, stored, accumulated and processed for suitablefurther use by transmitting vehicles and by vehicles which also receivethe replies, corresponding to a caching and a utilization.

The travel history data, source data, buffer memory data which inparticular contain the stored, accumulated and processed information,and reply data in the vehicles may each be stored in an individual mapstructure superseding a static global map structure or existing inparallel therewith.

From running condition data, travel history data and/or data obtained bycombining running data of several vehicles, it is possible to alsocreate, modify or delete new map structure elements in the individualmap structure data, and also extract them from the traffic guidancesystem for external utilization.

For purposes of internal processing and referencing in transmissionsignals, a subdividing of the individual map structure into way segmentssatisfying a predetermined criterion with regard to a length isperformed, corresponding to a first map representation.

Combining way segments of the individual map structure is carried outfor purposes of internal processing and referencing in transmissionsignals into groups and superordinate groups each having their ownidentifications, corresponding to a second map representation, or acompression through hierarchy formation.

A first calculation of the route of the first vehicle from its currentposition to a selected target may be carried out with the aid ofstatically stored or already available dynamic distance data,corresponding to a static or dynamic routing.

A recalculation of the route may be carried out based on modified datain the individual map structure for the purpose of iterativeoptimization of the route.

In creating inquiries, a desired up-to-dateness may be encoded into dieinquiry, corresponding to an update request.

Answering an inquiry may be carried out, depending on a desiredup-to-dateness, from source data of vehicles in the vicinity of thetarget area of the inquiry, or from buffer memory data in particularcontaining the stored, accumulated and processed information, ofvehicles far removed from the target area and closer to the inquiringvehicle, so that the number of instances of relaying inquiries may bekept low, corresponding to a cache utilization.

A favorable vehicle from among the group of vehicles which is capable ofanswering and/or relaying the inquiry, may be determined through anevaluation method wherein an evaluation measure is determined independence on the up-to-dateness or a relevance of data alreadyavailable to the respective vehicle and concerning way segments inquestion, the number of inquiries which can be answered on the basis ofalready available data, and/or the distance of the respective vehiclewhose inquiry cannot be answered from the next way segment,corresponding to a first delay routing.

In dependence on the evaluation measure, a delay period for emitting areply and/or relaying may be set which becomes shorter with anincreasing evaluation measure, so that vehicles are enabled to transmitearlier with a better evaluation measure, corresponding to a seconddelay routing.

A particular vehicle with an intention to transmit concerning a reply toan inquiry and/or relaying an inquiry with respect to a particularinquiry characterized by an action code may stop the intended emissionif it receives a signal concerning the same inquiry and having the sameaction code from another particular vehicle which has preceded theparticular vehicle due to a shorter delay period.

An assessment is carried out whether for a particular way segment aninquiry is to be created, corresponding to a calculation of a firstnecessity of inquiry. Hereby the communication volume is reduced.

The assessment whether an inquiry is to be created for a particular waysegment is carried out in dependence on the distance of the way segmentfrom a current location of said first vehicle, the estimated time untilarrival at the way segment, a weighting factor of the way segment, abackup frequency known from the past and/or the up-to-dateness ofalready available data relating to the way segment, corresponding to anevaluation of a second necessity of inquiry.

Transmitted data may include information concerning a signal type, avehicle identification, the utilized transmitting field strength, alocation of the vehicle, an unambiguous action code, as well as a listof identifications of previously used transmitter vehicles in the formof a history list, whereby first information contents are defined.

Transmitted data may moreover include information concerning way segmentidentifications, a moving direction, a proportion of a covered waysegment, a mean velocity, a maximum velocity, the vehicle density,and/or a up-to-dateness/time marking of the information, whereby secondinformation contents are defined.

Handing back a reply to an inquiry may be carried out by using thehistory list, corresponding to a first handing back or utilization ofthe history list.

Handing back a reply to an inquiry by a relaying method may furthermoretake place in analogy with forwarding the inquiry, corresponding to asecond handing back or to a renewed routing, respectively.

The first vehicle creates and transmits a plurality of inquiriesrelating to single way segments, which are each individually answeredand/or relayed as well as returned with a reply, or an inquiry relatingto the entirety of way segments, wherein the inquiry relating to theentirety of way segments includes a plurality of partial inquiriesrelating to single way segments, which are successively answered orrelayed by the vehicles of a chain of transmitter vehicles,corresponding to a combination of inquiries.

One or several groups of vehicles are formed which are each inpossession of data of particular neighboring way segments, with grouprelevant data common to respective vehicles being available such that aninquiry concerning data of such groups may be answered by each vehicleof the group, or answering may be effected through few instances ofrelaying, corresponding to a first source hierarchy formation.

From the groups one or several superordinate groups are formed which areeach in possession of data of particular neighboring way segments,wherein supergroup-relevant data common to the respective vehicles areavailable, such that an inquiry concerning data of such superordinategroups may be answered by each vehicle of the superordinate group, oranswering may be effected through few instances of relaying,corresponding to a second source hierarchy formation.

Vehicles of the group create and transmit data containing informationrelating to a position, extension and minimum lifetime of the group,corresponding to a third source hierarchy formation by means of a groupprotocol.

Group data may contain mean velocities, maximum velocities, vehicledensity measures, up-to-datenesses/time markings and/or informationrelevance measures with respect to the entirety of the vehicles of thegroup, corresponding to a fourth source hierarchy formation by means ofgroup data.

Group formation may moreover take place in that group formationapplications by one or several vehicles or subgroups are accumulated,and in that the actual group formation is only determined when athreshold is exceeded, corresponding to a fifth source hierarchyformation by means of a group formation.

To a vehicle or to a group of vehicles external data are supplied fordirectional or non-directional handing on, wherein a group formation mayalso be brought about through these external data, corresponding tosupplying external data to vehicles and groups.

The external data may contain information relating to a backupprognosis, corresponding to an external prediction.

Information relating to a backup prognosis or other traffic-relevantquantities is extracted and stored externally, wherein it is alsopossible to cause a group formation from inside or from outside of thesystem in order to obtain the relevant quantities, corresponding to anextraction of traffic data.

The external data contain information relating to connectivity withother traffic systems, such as railway, subway, urban railway, airand/or boat traffic, whereby an intermodal traffic is defined.

Information relating to a backup prognosis due to events detected in thepast and occurring cyclically is generated from vehicle data signals andtransmitted, wherein group formation may also be initiated for thepurpose of cyclic backup prognosis, corresponding to a periodicalprediction.

Information relating to a backup prognosis due to events detected in therecent past is generated from vehicle data signals through extrapolationof the traffic flows or simulation and transmitted, wherein groupformation may also be initiated for the purpose of simulative backupprognosis, corresponding to a simulative prediction.

Information relating to a backup prognosis and/or other traffic-relevantquantities is stored within a group of vehicles to be designated andcontinues to exist there.

Data relating to a dangerous approach of the first vehicle to anothervehicle pertaining to the traffic guidance system or to a grouppertaining to the traffic guidance system is generated and/ortransmitted, whereby a safety system is defined.

Handing back of inquiries that have not been answered takes place in theform of specially marked pseudo-replies, whereby a first pseudo-reply isdefined.

The fact that a relayed inquiry has not been answered may moreover bedetected in that when an inquiry is relayed by a particular vehicle,emission of a pseudo-reply is concurrently determined with a high delaytime, whereby a second pseudo-reply is defined.

Emission of the pseudo-reply from the particular vehicle may be stoppedin that another particular vehicle located within reach of theparticular vehicle in its turn answers or hands on the relayed inquiry,which fact may be recognized by the particular vehicle on account of anaction code of the inquiry, whereby a third pseudo-reply is defined.

Information is combined upon return of replies to inquiries or uponintermediate storage in transmitter vehicles, so that data from agreater distance may be compressed more strongly/resolved more roughlyby an inquiring party, corresponding to an integration.

Emitted data signals are relayed, in analogy with processing inquiries,both along a one-dimensional channel up to a target location and alsotwo-dimensionally into a more extended target area encoded into the datasignal, corresponding to a further integration.

Data signals contain information which, on account of a particularevent, is created by a vehicle and transmitted directionally ornon-directionally, corresponding to an event broadcast.

The vehicles are land vehicles for road or rail traffic, water vehicles,aircraft or other mobile, manned or unmanned units moving in a jointlyutilized traffic space and capable of being equipped with limited-rangecommunication means.

Vehicles may also be particular pseudo-vehicles having a specialcommunicative purpose of sending data signals out of the trafficguidance system or into the traffic guidance system, feeding in thirddata, need not necessarily be mobile, but at least are equipped withcompatible communication means.

Via a pseudo-vehicle or a station a connection with anothertelecommunications network is established.

Pseudo-vehicles or stations are created which are linked among eachother by an external communication network and establish a morefavorable mutual connection of said vehicles or between said vehiclesand a transmitter/receiver located outside the traffic guidance system,whereby a backbone network is defined.

By the communication means of the vehicles and/or thepseudo-vehicles/stations a telecommunications network is formed.

In accordance with the invention, an apparatus for determining andoptimizing a route of a first vehicle pertaining to a traffic guidancesystem to which further vehicles pertain is created, including:detection means for detecting local vehicle data to be transmitted;transmitter/receiver means for transmitting/receiving radio signalscontaining respective vehicle data to be transmitted/received; intensityadjusting means for freely adjusting a particular transmitting fieldstrength up to a maximum transmitting field strength; intensitydetection means for detecting the intensity of the respective receivedradio signals; storage means for storing data; group designating meansfor designating a group associated with the first vehicle followingreception of the vehicle data of the respective vehicles; routedetermining and segmenting means for determining, with the aid of storeddistance data, a route of the first vehicle from its current position upto a selected target and subdividing it into way segments; and routeoptimization means for making an inquiry concerning vehicle datacontaining information relating to practicability of the respective waysegments to the group of vehicles and determining an optimized route bymeans of vehicle data received in response to the inquiry. By the abovedescribed features a structure of an intelligent communication device iscreated.

Moreover delay period signal generation means may be contained foremitting a data signal only after lapse of the determined delay periodin dependence on a freely determinable time delay value, whereby a firstdelay generation takes place.

Moreover control means may be contained, whereby emission of the delayeddata signal may subsequently be stopped prior to lapse of the delayperiod, whereby a second delay generation takes place.

The present invention shall be described in more detail hereinbelow byway of embodiments while referring to the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of implementation of thecommunication between vehicles of a traffic guidance system inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

For implementing the method of the present invention, a vehicle isequipped with a:

Communication unit (transmitter/receiver means) for communication on avehicle-vehicle level

Preferably a digital, multiplexed transmission standard similar todigital mobile telephony networks is used. The standard should ideallyemploy an asynchronous protocol. At the lowermost level suitably a“collision detection” method with error correction should be employed,similar to Ethernet. In principle, however, an analog standard with acorresponding correction method might also be sufficient. Thecommunication unit should ideally be operable with a transmit powerdemanded by a computer unit of 0 up to a maximum transmit power of 5Watts, for example.

Computer unit

Medium-level requirements of computing speed and memory capacity aremade to the computer unit. The computer unit should include a mapmodule, for example on CD-ROM.

Movement sensing equipment or a device for detecting vehicle data

The movement sensing equipment includes a velocity and directionalsensor, ideally a GPS module. Further sensors may be incorporated.

The method steps are in particular carried out or caused under controlby the computer unit.

The basic unit of the computer unit's internal map or map module is aroute section or a way segment. All stretches of road are represented ascombinations of route sections in the internal map. The connectingpoints between route sections are termed nodes. Turning prescriptions,one-way streets etc. are defined as limitations on the routesections/nodes.

In the method of the present invention, various processes described inthe following simultaneously co-operate. Herein a number of parametersmust be sensibly selected which may, however, only be achieved with aconcrete installation of the method or with the aid of a detailedsimulation. Indicated parameters are preliminary estimates. Theparameters represent traffic-relevant quantities which, besidespracticability for example also may be data relating to weatherdetection, such as rain or temperatures, vehicle operation conditions,such as airbag activation, ABS activation, gradient measurements etc.

Non-directional Broadcast/Default Action:

All participating vehicles “without being prompted” carry out a defaultaction. For example they transmit in a specific temporal distance of,e.g., 2 minutes their movement data as a non-directional broadcast or asa non-directional transmission of a “lowermost hierarchy level”. Thetransmitted data include information about the recent travel history,such as, e.g., the mean running velocity on the route sections travelledin the last 5 min. All vehicles within the range of approximately theintended transmitting range receive the broadcast signal.

An open parameter herein furthermore is the transmitting field strengthto be used which determines the transmitting range. It results from aclosed-loop control. At the beginning, a suitable default transmitintensity is used. The transmit intensity used as a rule is always alsojointly encoded into the broadcast. Each vehicle in the course of timelearns about the data of the surrounding vehicles. It then approximatelyknows the vehicle density or density distribution in the surroundings.Thereupon it may tune its transmit intensity such that approximately apredetermined maximum number of vehicles, such as e.g. 100 vehicles, maybe reached by one broadcast. As the used transmit intensity is alwaysjointly encoded, the relationship between transmit intensity andtransmitting range to be expected may also constantly be readjusteddepending on environmental conditions, under circumstances even independence on direction. What lastly is to be achieved throughtransmitting field strength control is that, with respect to the channeloccupancy and the specifically used “collision detection” method inaccordance with the requirements of the communication layer, an optimumtransmission bandwidth is available for the entirety of the vehicles.Furthermore under an aspect of good scaling behavior of thecommunication volume, with a system breakdown not occurring even in theevent of an elevated number of participants, it is important that nottoo many vehicles will be reached by a single broadcast, for example inthe center of a city.

The present method in accordance with the invention thus need not yetmake any excessively specific demands to the lowermost transmissionlayer, but may in wide ranges be adapted to a specific communicationsetup by adjusting few parameters.

The non-directional broadcast results in the creation of groups“smeared” in terms of information as regards the route sections. Forexample approximately 30 vehicles “know” about the moving data on aparticular highway section or on a heavily frequented inner city routesection. All information units transmitted carry a time marking whichcharacterizes the respective up-to-dateness, as well as a relevancemeasure which characterizes how reliable/complete the information is.For example a percentage of the route sections already travelled on maybe used. From this evaluation and accumulation of the data of variousvehicles there consequently results an “image” of the overall traffic,and this “image” is distributed and stored in the groups. Variousmovement variables/parameters may be accumulated, for example meanrunning velocity/travel time, maximum running velocity, traffic density,backup sensitivity, with the possibility of determining the latter froma long-period integration, etc.

Request:

The request closely co-operates with dynamic route planning proper: thestarting point of dynamic route planning is static route planning. Thecomputer unit of a vehicle initially calculates a preliminary optimumroute in a conventional manner, as it were, in accordance with thebuilt-in map which contains preliminary data concerning the maximumtravel velocities on the route sections.

For this currently envisaged route it is now attempted to find outwhether the underlying maximum travel velocities and optionally otherderived basic parameters, such as fuel consumption, environmental burdenetc., are correct.

To this end inquiries, i.e. requests relating to the moving data for theroute sections are dispatched via the transmitter/receiver means of thevehicles. All route sections of the route are searched, wherein it isdecided whether a request for the respective route section is evennecessary at present, for a request is costly in the sense that itbrings about a communication volume or a communication expenditure,respectively. In a sense, the importance for a request of the respectiveroute section is estimated only when the evaluation exceeds a particularlevel, for example the value 1 in a normalized evaluation system, theroute section is noted down for the request. The criteria for estimatingthe importance are, for example, distance of the route section in theplanned route from the current location, estimated distance of the routesection in terms of travel time, importance of the road on which theroute section is situated (“road class”), and/or up-to-dateness of thealready existing data concerning the route section. If data of anup-to-dateness of −3 min already exist, it is not necessary to dispatcha request relating to the route section in question.

Examination of the route sections in accordance with these criteria thenresults in a list of route sections for which a request is to beemitted. In the request a desired minimum up-to-dateness is furthermoreentered. Interconnected route sections in this list may then be combinedby means of a customary segmentation method, so that a bundled requestmay be formed. In principle it is also possible to form a single bundledrequest for all route sections in the list, which is then broken down orprocessed piecewise during the subsequent request repetition describedfurther below. Moreover the request is then provided with an unambiguousaction code which shall be described in more detail hereinbelow andwhich i.a. contains information on who has answered or relayed whatinquiry, and with a repetition counter set to 0 and representing thenumber of instances of relaying.

Request Processing/Repetition:

The request is now emitted in accordance with FIG. 1. As thetransmitting field strength, the one value is taken which results fromthe above described control mechanism in the broadcast. The request is“heard” by all vehicles within the transmission range. These vehiclesthen perform an evaluation. They estimate from the data available tothem, i.e. from the broadcast or from the cache signal describedhereinbelow, a reply potential or capacity and a repetition potential orcapacity, (→handing on of the request). Herein criteria are taken intoconsideration such as, for example: how well can the requests beanswered (up-to-dateness, relevance, in accordance with the abovedescription); how many requests (number or percentage of the routesections) may be answered: if only a particular threshold value isreached, the overall reply potential is greater than 0 so that splittingthe request into excessively small elements will not be brought aboutforcibly; and how well is the vehicle positioned in the directiontowards the next route section the request of which cannot be answered.

From this evaluation there now results a ranking value, for example from0 to 1, which corresponds to the reply or repetition potential. From theranking value a delay period is calculated. A high ranking value willresult in a short delay period, and evaluations having not only arepetition potential but also a reply potential greater than 0fundamentally result in a shorter delay period than evaluations havingonly a repetition potential. The parameters are to be selected suchthat, where possible, only vehicles within a cone in a direction towardsthe next route segment receive a potential greater than 0 in accordancewith the representation of FIG. 1. Subsequent repetitions may then beheard mutually.

Both the planned repetition with requests relating to the remainingroute sections, and the planned reply are placed or stored in atransmission register together with the calculated delay period. Thisresults in a stack of “intentions to transmit”.

This stack is then processed in the course of time. When the respectivedelay period has lapsed, the corresponding packet is transmitted. If,however, in the meantime a reply or a repetition having the same actioncode and at least an equally large repetition counter has come in, thenanother vehicle has preceded the intended transmitting action.Apparently this vehicle had a higher or comparable reply/repetitionpotential. The corresponding entries from the stack are then deleted(selection of the max. fittest). If a packet having the same action codeand a lower repetition counter arrives, this packet is ignored. This hasthe result that inefficient, runaway request cycles are deleted. Everyvehicle may also establish a list of younger request-action codes, bymeans of which non-optimum, vagrant erratic request chains are preventedfrom repetition and answering, respectively, and thus deleted in goodtime.

There now successively takes place a relaying and partial answering ofrequests. In the least favorable case a request thus would have to passthrough the entire route in leaps of approximately the mean radius oftransmission.

Information Return, i.e. Answer:

A request is at some time followed by a reply or answer, mostly in theform of a partial answer. It is now attempted to route back the reply tothe receiver along the same way on which the request had arrived. Duringthe request phase a history stack of transmitting vehicles in therequest protocol is expanded at each repetition. Herein the respectivevehicle ID or vehicle identification is entered in the stack. As aresult of this ID stack, during the answering cycle the vehiclepositioned at the very end of this list may always unambiguously takeover answer repetition and in the process take its own ID from thehistory stack. This is under the assumption that the vehicle movementsare substantially slower than the overall propagation times of thecommunication, so that the pattern of the transmission ranges willhardly have changed during answering in comparison with the request.Thus the case of a vehicle not being available any more in the historystack while the reply is returning would only occur very rarely. In sucha case, however, the reply may be lost without prejudice in the absenceof particular countermeasures. Upon the following request generationcycle of the inquiring vehicle, this will be noticed due to the data forthe route sections in question not being up-to-date, and preferably anew request will rapidly be initiated.

In principle, the reply might, however, also be routed in accordancewith the same complex method as in the request, i.e. merely throughrepetition towards the source location of the request, implying arespective evaluation by a repetition potential, delay routing etc. inaccordance with the above explanations.

During reply routing the same transmitting field strengths as alreadyused for the broadcast and the request may again be used. If need be,the transmitting field strength may also be slightly increased for thepurpose of enhanced safety regarding accessibility.

In principle the method would already take effect if only the describedrequest/answer mechanism were used. However the communication volumewould be unnecessarily high and above all would not scale well with thetravelling distances, the size of the road net, and the number of thevehicles. For transmitting non-cohesive third data, for exampletelephony or car internet, the described routing would, however, alreadybe the main base.

The method according to the invention moreover is in particularcharacterized by the mechanisms described in the following and having ahierarchy-forming effect.

Caching:

While the inquired information returns via the route sections, theinformation is also stored by the transmitting vehicles and all vehicleshearing about it, in a region of the individual map specially designatedas a cache. If, now, further requests come in from other vehicles andthe up-to-dateness of the data in the cache is sufficient for answeringthe request, the request need not be repeated any more but may beanswered directly from the cache. This mechanism in turn has aself-stabilization effect, for precisely at a high backup potential,high traffic densities and thus high communication demand, a largenumber of similar requests turn up which will then only very rarely haveto proceed as far as the target area.

In cases of insufficient memory capacity, although this nowadays hardlyrepresents a problem in view of the comparatively small amounts ofinformation and the large available memories, a vehicle may removerespective outdated data from the cache, and if it is known thatneighboring vehicles also store the information, entering the data intothe cache may be carried out with a probability of less than 100%.

Integration:

Excess calculating capacity of the computer unit may be used forcombining the information in the cache into connotational units. Forexample information about cities or city parts, by-pass roads, longstretches of highway, accumulations of border crossings might becombined into bundled information. One example for this is: slowlymoving traffic on the entire “Mittlere Ring” [ring street] in Munich.For one thing, an inefficient request iteration may be prevented throughadditionally replying to corresponding requests by such bundledinformation. On the other hand, such information units generated throughintegration may, however, not only enter into route planning, but forexample also presented to the driver on a display or per voice outputetc. as condensed, meaningful background information. The integrationmethod may, for example, employ additional pre-defined range markings inthe built-in map, such as delimitations of

Dynamic Group Formation on Higher Hierarchy Levels:

The above described non-directional broadcast only reaches vehicles inthe range of a mean transmitting range. If, however, an informationconcerning certain route sections or stretches of road or otherintegration units, as was described above, is frequently requestedthrough requests, the transmitting vehicles may cause the vehicleslocated on these road sections to distribute data in a wider peripheryon their own initiative, preferably in the direction from which themajority of requests arrive. Vehicles moving on such frequent-requestintegration units are thus combined into groups, which initially takesplace on a first hierarchy level. Like any other information, such groupconfigurations initially also are of a temporary nature. Theydisintegrate on their own with a particular time constant when theincentive for the group formation, such as, for example, a high requestvolume, disappears. The groups are bound to the location, i.e. tostretches of road, city parts, highway segments, etc., and not toparticular vehicles. In other words, when vehicles newly enter a routesection agglomeration via which a group formation has taken place, theybecome part of the group. Through previous group broadcasts which mayalso be received beyond the group boundaries, such vehicles as a rulealready learn about the existence of the group prior to entering such aroute section. When leaving the group area, the vehicles also abandontheir group membership and cease to transmit/replicate group broadcasts.

Initialization of a group is performed by vehicles which split uprequests or in which requests come together, respectively. Such vehiclesas a rule are not part of the group, for they mostly see the groups“from outside” (→a kind of group speaker). For generation of a group ageneration request is sent to the route sections in question (routing inaccordance with the above description). Generation of a group forreasons of stability does not take place upon the first initiationattempt by a group speaker vehicle. Rather, in the vehicle in question a“counter” for a particular group application is counted up. This counterwould, in the absence of further actions, again become invalid with aparticular time constant. Only when several requests (threshold value)for group formation come in, moreover from different vehicles and fromvarious directions, and the “group applications” sufficiently overlapeach other, a group is established for the first time. Suchinitialization of a group may take place starting out from a later groupmember in which the counter exceeds the threshold value for the firsttime. A first group broadcast may be used for this purpose on a protocolplane.

Group data are the area of the group source vehicles, as well as thetarget area for dissemination of the group information, for example aclub shape in a direction from which many requests come in.

Technique of the Group Broadcast/Area Broadcast:

Each vehicle in the group emits a broadcast signal statistically with aparticular temporal probability. Each broadcast carries a particularaction code by means of which the broadcast replication is coordinated.Vehicles located in the marginal area of the reception range carry out areplication of the protocol in accordance with the same method asdescribed above for the request repetition, with the only differencethat the area broadcast does not have a local point-shaped target areabut spreads two-dimensionally as far as the borders of the group targetarea.

In continuation of the method, hierarchies of groups may form. This mayon the one hand take place in such a way that vehicles supplying sourcedata simultaneously participate in several increasingly large-areagroups, with groups of an identical hierarchy level possibly alsooverlapping (→“induced mixed hierarchies”). This process may on theother hand take place in the form of bundled group data in turn servingas information components for superordinate groups (→“truehierarchies”). The combination of groups into superordinate groups inturn takes place in accordance with the above description throughinformation transmitter vehicles, as a rule external, who mostly fromthe outside “recognize” usefulness of a combination of the groups due tothe routing activity. It is important that the groups are alwaysgenerated dynamically and optionally again disintegrate over time whenthe incentive for the group formation disappears.

Wide-area Broadcast:

In accordance with the above described group broadcast method, any otherinformation may furthermore be diffused two-dimensionally in any targetarea whatsoever. Such event-type information may be: particular eventssuch as, e.g., accidents (activation of an airbag, etc.) and distresscalls; search protocols whereby the location of a communicationparticipant may be determined for subsequently establishing acommunication channel; third data imported into the network, such asmore or less local traffic news and backup predictions; and many more.

External Prediction/Intrinsic Prediction:

The hitherto described method very efficiently furnishes up-to-datetraffic data. In planning longer travel routes it is, however, often ofinterest whether, for example, the traffic in a distance of 200 km will2 hours later still be the same as represented at the current point oftime. Such traffic predictions are particularly of interest forbackup-prone highway sections. As was already indicated above, it may bea solution to the problem if traffic news services import third datainto the network from the outside, such as, for example, backupprognoses, per wide-area broadcast. Another solution is for prognosisgeneration to take place partly automatically inside the network.

The starting point in both cases is that for such endangered,“prognostication-worthy” traffic areas, groups are instituted inaccordance with the above described pattern. Namely, only groups maylastingly maintain location-bound data, for example by iterativehand-over between vehicles.

In the case of an external prediction, formation of a group may becaused by the prediction dispatch station in the area for which a backupor other prediction is to be made, and subsequently the prediction ishanded over to the group. The local propagation pattern of such a groupformation or prediction telegram or data packet then resembles amushroom cloud. At first it propagates, like in a request, along acorridor to the target area and then spreads out two-dimensionallythere. The group will then continue to exist for at least as long asrequired by the propagation time of the prediction. The predictiondispatch station then, in a manner of speaking, is the main groupspeaker. In the case of a request into the group area it is then alsopossible to jointly transmit the prediction in the reply or answer inaccordance with the above description.

Automatic Prognosis:

When backups form, initially the formation of suitable groups takesplace, for in the case of backups the criteria specified above forgeneration of groups are fulfilled automatically. If backups repeatedlyoccur within an area, such as in a daily rhythm, and this becomesconspicuous during the group lifetime, then initially the furtherminimum lifetime of the group may be raised so as to follow up thismatter, in a manner of speaking. If the assumption of a periodicaldisturbance is corroborated (the required simple pattern recognition forthe detection of periodical disturbances may unfold in all vehicles;fundamentally, the above mentioned “accumulation of applications”pattern applies: only when the application for “designation” of aperiodical disturbance arrives, this knowledge gains factual validity inthe group), the knowledge about this is taken up into the group memoryas a “periodical prediction”, and at the same time the group's minimumlifetime/expiry time constant is raised (for example five times theduration of the disturbance). There may, however, be a case where anormal group lifetime is not sufficient for corroborating the assumptionof a periodical disturbance at a first time, for example because thegroups would not outlive the following low-traffic night. Apart from thefact that this might then be initialized by an external provider stationand in contrast with the above explanations would not have to befollowed up any further, there also are automatic options:

1. Simple possibility: group minimum lifetimes are sometimes set higherthan normal in group formation with a particular probability, thus forexample longer than one day. At some point of time, this would then besufficient for setting off the periodical prediction.

2. Effective and probably better option: each vehicle retains knowledgeabout past group memberships in a long-term memory which is not activelyin effect. Some such vehicles, such as commuters etc., will then surelymeet up again with a periodical backup in the next or following etc.period Such vehicles will then recognize the temporal coincidence oftraffic disturbances and may initiate a prolongation of the grouplifetime if only on assumption. Or, however, they may possibly, in theevent of a corresponding “accumulation of applications”, rather directlycarry out instituting a periodical prediction. This long-term memorymethod also solves the problem of already existing periodicalpredictions or other location-bound group having to outlive, forexample, a night with such low traffic volume that the iterativehandover of the group data would consequently be discontinued. In awider sense, it is thus possible by way of the long-term memory toensure survival of a group which fails to have any members for a shortperiod.

3. Utilization of an accessible, continuously active line networkbackbone station as described in the following, where available.

Interaction of Communication With Route Planning:

If it results from a request cycle that the movement parameters of theroute sections underlying the route planning differ from the previousmap data, such as a lower mean/maximum running velocity, then thesemovement parameters obtained as a result of the request or broadcast areentered into the individual map which, in a sense, supersedes thebuilt-in map, for example on CD-ROM, or co-exists with it. Thereupon a“fastest-way algorithm” recalculates a route. This route may differ fromthe old route. If the route differs from the old route, the requestcycle will be repeated for the new route sections which are stillunknown/not sufficiently up-to-date any more. For the rest, thecurrently planned route is in order for the time being.

An improvement of the method is obtained in that the request cycle for aset of alternative routes is started from the very beginning.

Strictly mathematically speaking, this manner of proceeding is onlycorrect if the request/broadcast data results in lower velocities thanthose of the built-in map. This is, however, the normal case. Caseshaving a reverse configuration, for example when a speed limit iscancelled, may, however, also be processed in the course of time by thefollowing method: When such a case takes place repeatedly, it isdiffused in the network by a wide-area broadcast as describedhereinafter, and stored in a map update storage sector which supersedesthe CD-ROM map. In the broadest meaning, such a process may be used for“map learning”, i.e., for incorporating relevant data into the map.

The process of map learning shall be described in more detailhereinbelow. When vehicles are moving on stretches of road that are notregistered in the existing map, or the assumption arises that parametersof the stretches of road have changed, with these parameters being,e.g., a one-way status, speed limits, a disappearance of stretches ofroad etc., then new map structure elements or parameters or preliminarystages thereof may be registered by the vehicles in the individual mapor in a preliminary individual map based on related running conditiondata, to thereby obtain an automatic map generation or map updates. Asthe generation of such data by single vehicles and single events is,however, as a rule unstable, it is, for instance, possible to initiatethe formation of above described, persistent source groups for thepurpose of the data of several vehicles and data covering extendedperiods of time being pooled. Based on this aggregated data a morereliable data structure or a map update may take place. Preliminary andmatured learned map structure data may, just like ordinary dynamicrunning condition data, be made available by the vehicles or sourcegroups, e.g. by request, or also be actively disseminated via theutilized communication network. An external utilization, such as forexample obtaining map raw data or map data, for the creation of mapsexternally of the system is possible in analogy with an above describedextraction of statistical data. Thanks to the uninterrupted observationof the traffic condition, which is possible by pooling nearly any singlecontributions by the vehicles, particular data having a very highsignificance and up-to-dateness may be furnished which by far exceedswhat is possible with customary forms of map creation, for example as aresult of surveying, aerial photographs, etc.

The entire route planning and request cycle unfolds constantly duringthe entire journey. This results in additional dynamics. At any point oftime the driver may thus be supplied with optimum route planning due tocurrently best possible knowledge.

If no data concerning route sections are obtained, it must be assumedthat so few vehicles are travelling in the area in question thatapparently the stretches of road are free. Thus the following assumptionis a basic rule of the method: where data concerning a route section arenot available, it has to be assumed that the route section is free. Or,when expressed from the opposite a viewpoint, the followingself-stabilizing effect is achieved: the communication situationimproves automatically wherever slow-moving traffic must be expected onaccount of increased traffic density.

Third Data:

Transmitting and receiving means through which third data are fed intothe system or extracted from it, respectively, are consideredpseudo-vehicles and as a rule have the inherent velocity 0. The mannerin which such pseudo-vehicles are incorporated into the communicationprocedure does not fundamentally differ from ordinary vehicles. Oneexample for a transmission of third data would, e.g., be an inquiry by adriver on his way from Nuremberg to Munich on the A9 highway, relatingto a suitable urban railway connection in Munich from a Park+Ridestation to the city center. The data transmission would in analogy witha request from the inquiring vehicle run to a known location in which acorresponding information provider has a network station.

Such pseudo-vehicles may furthermore, e.g., be traffic lightinstallations comprising compatible communication means, so that due tothe possible information access it is also possible to influenceswitching timing in dependence on traffic, or that in turn trafficcontrol information is passed on to the vehicles and thus enables betterroute optimization. In addition, such pseudo-vehicles acting as activestations may become effective as supporting communicators in forwardinginformation, information processing and/or network coverage, for exampleif the degree of implementation is still low.

Backbone Line Network:

As special “pseudo-vehicles”, backbone stations having a fast linenetwork connection are conceivable. This results in a backbone linenetwork which is capable of shortening a long-range communication inparticular when the information is of a rather non-cohesive type(information rather not worth the effort of storing it on an anywaylarge number of intermediate stations (caching) in accordance with theabove outlined philosophy, for example telephony as mentioned later. Itshould once again be noted that such a backbone network does notconstitute an essential component of the method. The backbone stationsfor example do not have the task, as in the case of a mobile telephonynetwork, to provide for a highest possible degree of coverage, butindeed only are an option for communication acceleration capacity. Abackbone network will be useful particular when a large volume of thirddata transmissions occurs. Backbone stations may then be inserted quitepurposefully and economically where the communication volume would meeta limit.

As regards the technique of backbone routings: The positions of backbonestations are made known regularly yet comparatively rarely by wide-areabroadcast. Vehicles newly entering traffic may procure the informationvia such backbone positions at any time by request from neighboringvehicles and over a relatively short distance when information passes bya backbone station and this station recognizes that further routing ofthis information via the backbone network is more favorable, it willinitially emit with a minimum possible delay period, in accordance withthe above description, a special annihilation telegram as a substitutefor the above described repetition telegram, with telegram in thisinstance having to be understood as a packet of forwarded data. Thisannihilation telegram in the same way as a repetition telegram has theeffect that other vehicles will stop their possibly existing intentionof routing on the information packet in the ordinary vehicle-vehiclenetwork. In a given case the annihilation telegram may also have theform of an area broadcast over a range somewhat larger than thetransmitting radius in order to achieve reliable elimination of therouting process in the ordinary network. The information packet willthen be transmitted to the most suitable terminal node in the backbonenetwork and from there again imported into the vehicle-vehicle networkin accordance with the ordinary method.

1-to-1 Data Connection/Telephony:

A particular kind of third-data transmission takes place via a permanentdirectional connection between two participants designated by an ID, atelephone number etc.. Herein it is at first necessary for theparticipant desiring to initiate the connection to locate thecommunication partner in the network. In this respect there exist anumber of possibilities which may also be combined:

1. In the presence of a backbone network: A central computer or severaldistributed computers in the backbone network may extract from theentirety of broadcasts, requests, answers and other telegrams passingover backbone stations the transmitter and receiver IDs and theirpositions and entertain a “fuzzy phone book”, i.e. a telephone registryhaving fuzzy or not-secured entries in which the approximate locationsof the vehicles/participants are registered. These registries need notbe 100% correct. Inquiring communication partners may then extract anestimate for the position of the other partner.

2. It is being assumed here that an approximate location of the partnerexists, either by looking up in a fuzzy phone book, by estimates basedon the region in which the target vehicle customarily is, i.e. a homeregion, or through manual input. Then a search broadcast is sent to atarget area in the range of this location, which corresponds to theabove described “mushroom cloud” broadcast. When the sought partyreplies, the connection is established. If the sought party does notrespond, initially other small possible searching areas may be inquired,or the search regions may be expanded increasingly. In the leastfavorable case, the entire network area would have to be searched by awide-area broadcast.

3. All vehicles maintain in a not-required storage sector anotherlong-term memory for vehicle IDs of telegrams passing by. Searchbroadcasts may then often provide a hint to the right direction muchearlier.

4. All vehicles pertain to a particular home group in the sense of thevehicles communicating major changes of location to this home group by adirectional spot. The home groups may either be actually established ina customary group in the vicinity of the vehicles' home base, or in turnbe administrated by a backbone station or otherwise. Home groups, in amanner of speaking, are reliable locations in which the approximatecurrent location of a vehicle may be inquired.

If the locations of the connection partners are known among each other,a durable connection channel must be established. Similar to the abovedescribed answering method, the history list which was formed upon firstinitiation of contact is now extracted from transmitter vehicles. Thishistory list is used as the first connection list. By targeted, directleaping along the vehicles contained in the connection list in bothdirections, efficient transmission of large data quantities may takeplace without the intense, above described delay mechanism used inrequest or area broadcast. Problems exist in the event of threateninginterruption of connection as a result of the movements of thetransmitting vehicles and of the communicating vehicles. This problem isresolved by the following technique:

1. When leaping the data from vehicle to vehicle, the positions of thetransmitting vehicles are jointly transmitted as a rule. Thus thetransmitting vehicles recognize, while the connection channel isestablished and constantly used, when the distance between twoconnection vehicles threatens to become so large that the connection isinterrupted. When this danger is imminent, the two connection vehiclesin question initiate a local relinking process in due time. They searchamong each other for a secure connection via an intermediate vehicle.This may take place with the aid of an ordinary request method asdescribed above, possibly by indicating an artificially reducedtransmitting field strength of, e.g., −20% so as to find a particularlysecure channel. This intermediate vehicle will then be inserted into theconnection list during the following routing on the connection roads.

2. It is furthermore permanently examined during connection routing bymeans of the positions of the connection positions whether the distanceof vehicle hopping has reduced to such an extent that a connectionvehicle may be removed from the connection list. This serves to preventexcessively inefficient from being created during connections existingover longer periods of time.

3. In larger time intervals a new, optimum connection channel issearched for by the two communication partners by way of a requestindependently of the existing connection channel/corridor. The newconnection list thus obtained may then be used as of immediately.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for at least one of dynamicallyobtaining relevant traffic information and for dynamic optimization of aroute of a first vehicle pertaining to at least one of a self organizingtraffic information system and traffic guidance system to which furthervehicles pertain, comprising the steps performed by the first vehicle;[a] creating own data on the basis of at least one of on-board sensorsand other information sources in said first vehicle; [b] emitting datathat are relevant for said first vehicle or for other vehicles; [c]receiving data transmitted by other vehicles; [d] storing data obtainedfrom at least one of received and own data; [e] relaying of receiveddata by re-transmission of these data in a processed or unprocessedform, and [f] creating and transmitting inquiries concerning data whichmay possibly be furnished by other vehicles.
 2. The method according toclaim 1, wherein inquiries are at least one of answered, partlyanswered, relayed and partly relayed by receiving vehicles.
 3. Themethod according to claim 2, wherein at least one of answering inquiriesand relaying inquiries and other data are performed by vehicles having asuitable/optimum information status or having a favorable/optimumcurrent position for relaying.
 4. The method according to claim 2,wherein in steps [a] and [d] travel history data are additionallycreated by said vehicles.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein insteps [b] and [c] a source group of vehicles associated with said firstvehicle is designated for receiving data from respective vehicles,wherein said data is stored, accumulated and pre-processed in saidreceiving vehicles for the purpose of generating source data for thesubsequent steps.
 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein inpre-processing said source data, at least one of mean velocities,maximum velocities, traffic density measures, backup sensitivities,bundled up-to-dateness measures and bundled relevance measures may becalculated.
 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein designation ofsaid group of vehicles is performed by designating an adjustabletransmitting field strength or transmitting range of said first vehicle.8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said adjustable transmittingfield strength is controlled suds that on the average a predeterminedcriterion with respect to a parametrizable number of vehicles withinreach is satisfied.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein thetransmitting field strength control may incorporate positions andemployed transmitting field strengths of neighboring vehicles encodedinto the received signals.
 10. The method according to claim 5, whereinthe route of said first vehicle from its current position to a selectedtarget is determined with the aid of stored way data, and said route issubdivided into way segments.
 11. The method according to claim 10,wherein said first vehicle transmits inquiries for information relatingto a practicability and other traffic-relevant quantities on candidateway segments to be travelled later on.
 12. The method according to claim10, wherein replies to inquiries by said first vehicle are return ad tosaid first vehicle directly or via relaying, wherein said information insaid replies is also stored, accumulated and processed for suitablefurther use by transmitting vehicles and by vehicles which also receivesaid replies.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the travelhistory data, source data, buffer memory data which in particularcontain the stored, accumulated and processed information, and replydata are each stored in said vehicles in an individual map structurewhich supersedes a static global map structure or exists in paralleltherewith.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein from runningcondition data, travel history data and data obtained by pooling runningdata of several vehicles, it is possible to also a create, modify ordelete new map structure elements in said individual map structure data,and also extract them from said traffic guidance system for externalutilization.
 15. The method according to claim 13, wherein for purposesof internal processing and referencing in transmission signals, asubdividing of said individual map structure into way segmentssatisfying a predetermined criterion with regard to a length isperformed.
 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein combining waysegments of said individual map structure is carried out for purposes ofinternal processing and referencing in transmission signals into groupsand superordinate groups each having their own identifications.
 17. Themethod according to claim 13, wherein a first calculation of the routeof said first vehicle from its current position to a selected target iscarried out with the aid of statically stored or already availabledynamic distance data.
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein arecalculation of the route is carried out based on modified data in saidindividual map structure for the purpose of iterative optimization ofthe route.
 19. The method according to claim to 12, wherein in creatinginquiries, a desired up-to-dateness is encoded into the inquiry.
 20. Themethod according to claim 19, wherein answering an inquiry is carriedout, depending on a desired up-to-dateness, from source data of vehiclesin the vicinity of the target area of the inquiry, or from buffer memorydata in particular containing the stored, accumulated and processedinformation, of vehicles far removed from the target area and closer tothe inquiring vehicle.
 21. The method according to claim 19, wherein afavorable vehicle from among said group of vehicles which is capable ofat least one of answering and relaying said inquiry, is determinedthrough an evaluation method, wherein an evaluation measure isdetermined in dependence on at least one of the up-to-dateness or arelevance of data already available to the respective vehicle andconcerning way segments in question, the number of inquiries which canbe answered on the basis of already available data, and the distance ofthe respective vehicle whose inquiry cannot be answered from the nextway segment.
 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein in dependenceon said evaluation measure, a delay period for emitting at least one ofa reply and relaying is set which becomes shorter with an increasingevaluation measure, so that vehicles are enabled to transmit earlierwith a better evaluation measure.
 23. The method according to claim 22,wherein a particular vehicle with an intention to transmit concerning atleast one of a reply to an inquiry and relaying an inquiry with respectto a particular inquiry characterized by an action code stops theintended emission if i receives a signal concerning said same inquiryand having the same action code from another particular vehicle whichhas preceded said particular vehicle due to a shorter delay period. 24.The method according to claim 18, wherein an assessment is carried outwhether an inquiry is to be created for a particular way segment. 25.The method according to claim 24, wherein said assessment whether aninquiry is to be created for a particular way segment is carried out independence on at least one of the distance of the way segment from acurrent location of said first vehicle, the estimated time until arrivalat the way segment, a weighting factor of the way segment, a backupfrequency known from the past and the up-to-dateness of alreadyavailable data relating to said way segment.
 26. The method according toclaim 10, wherein transmitted data contain information concerning asignal type, a vehicle identification, the transmitting field strengthused, a location of said vehicle, an unambiguous action code and a listof identifications of previously used transmitter vehicles in the formof a history list.
 27. The method according to claim 10, whereintransmitted data contain information concerning at least one of waysegment identifications, a moving direction, a proportion of a coveredway segment, a mean velocity, a maximum velocity, the vehicle density,and an up-to-dateness/time marking of said information.
 28. The methodaccording to claim 26, wherein handing back a reply to an inquiry iscarried out by using said history list.
 29. The method according toclaim 26, wherein handing back a reply to an inquiry by a relayingmethod is carried out in analogy with forwarding said inquiry.
 30. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein said first vehicle creates andtransmits a plurality of inquiries relating to single way segments,which are each at least one of individually answered and relayed as wellas returned with a reply, or an inquiry relating to the entirety of waysegments, wherein said inquiry relating to the entirety of way segmentsincludes a plurality of partial inquiries relating to single waysegments, which are successively answered or relayed by the vehicles ofa chain of transmitter vehicles.
 31. The method according to claim 10,wherein one or several groups of vehicles are formed which are each inpossession of data of particular neighboring way segments, with grouprelevant data common to respective vehicles being available such that aninquiry concerning data of such groups may be answered by each vehicleof the group, or answering may be effected through few instances ofrelaying.
 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein from said groupsone or several superordinate groups are formed which are each inpossession of data of particular neighboring way segments, whereinsupergroup-relevant data common to the respective vehicles areavailable, such that an inquiry concerning data of such superordinategroups may be answered by each vehicle of the superordinate group, oranswering may be effected through few instances of relaying.
 33. Themethod according to claim 31, wherein vehicles of said group create andtransmit data containing information relating to a position, extensionand minimum lifetime of said group.
 34. The method according to claim33, wherein group data contain at least on of mean velocities, maximumvelocities, vehicle density measures, up-to-datenesses/time markings andinformation relevance measures with respect to the entirety of thevehicles of said group.
 35. The method according to claim 31, whereingroup formation takes place in that group formation applications by oneor several vehicles or subgroups are accumulated, and that the actualgroup formation is only determined when a threshold is exceeded.
 36. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein to a vehicle or to a group ofvehicles external data are supplied for directional or non-directionalrelaying, wherein a group formation may also be brought about throughthese external data.
 37. The method according to claim 36, wherein saidexternal data contain information relating to a back up prognosis. 38.The method according to claim 36, wherein information relating to abackup prognosis or other traffic-relevant quantities is extracted andstored externally, wherein it is also possible to cause a groupformation from inside or from outside of said system in order to obtainthe relevant quantities.
 39. The method according to claim 36, whereinsaid external data contain information relating to connectivity withother traffic systems, such as at least one of railway, subway, urbanrailway, air and boat traffic.
 40. The method according to claim 10,wherein information relating to a backup prognosis due to eventsdetected in the past and occurring cyclically is generated from vehicledata signals and transmitted, wherein group formation may also beinitiated for the purpose of cyclic backup prognosis.
 41. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein information relating to a backupprognosis due to events detected in the recent past is generated fromvehicle data signals through extrapolation of the traffic flows orsimulation and transmitted, wherein group formation may also beinitiated for the purpose of simulative backup prognosis.
 42. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the information relating to at least onof a backup prognosis and other traffic-relevant quantities is storedwithin a group of vehicles to be designated and continues to existthere.
 43. The method according to claim 10, wherein data relating to adangerous approach of said first vehicle to another vehicle pertainingto said traffic guidance system or to a group pertaining to said trafficguidance system is generated and transmitted.
 44. The method accordingto claim 10, wherein harding back of inquiries that have not beenanswered takes place in the form of specially marked pseudo-replies. 45.The method according to claim 41, wherein the fact that a relayedinquiry has not been answered is detected in that when an inquiry isrelayed by a particular vehicle, emission of a pseudo-reply isconcurrently determined with a high delay time.
 46. The method accordingto claim 45, wherein emission of said pseudo-reply from said particularvehicle is stopped in that another particular vehicle located withinreach of said particular vehicle in its turn answers or relays saidrelayed inquiry, which fact may be recognized by said particular vehicleon account of an action code of said inquiry.
 47. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein information is combined upon return of replies toinquiries or upon intermediate storage in transmitter vehicles, so thatdata from a greater distance may be compressed more strongly/resolvedmore roughly by an inquiring party.
 48. The method according to claim 1,wherein emitted data signals are relayed, in analogy with processinginquiries, both along a one-dimensional channel up to a target locationand also two-dimensionally into a more extended target area encoded intosaid data signal.
 49. The method according to claim 1, wherein datasignals contain information which, on account of a particular event, iscreated by a vehicle and transmitted directionally or non-directionally.50. The method according to claim 1, wherein said vehicles are landvehicles for road or rail traffic, water vehicles, aircraft or othermobile, manned or unmanned units moving in a jointly utilized trafficspace and capable of being equipped with limited range communicationmeans.
 51. The method according to claim 1, wherein vehicles may also beparticular pseudo-vehicles having a special communicative purpose ofsending data signals out of said traffic guidance system or into saidtraffic guidance system, feeding in third data, need not necessarily bemobile, but at least are equipped with compatible communication means.52. The method according to claim 51, wherein via a pseudo-vehicle or astation a connection with another telecommunications network isestablished.
 53. The method according to claim 51, whereinpseudo-vehicles or stations are created which are linked among eachother by an external communication network and establish a morefavorable mutual connection of said vehicles or between said vehiclesand a transmitter/receiver located outside said traffic guidance system.54. The method according to claim 51, wherein through at least one ofsaid communication means and pseudo vehicles/stations a generaltelecommunications network is created.
 55. A system for at least one ofdynamically obtaining relevant traffic information and dynamicoptimization of a route of a first vehicle pertaining to at least one ofself-organizing traffic information system and a traffic guidance systemto which further vehicles pertain, comprising in the first vehicle:means for creating own data on the basis of at least one of on-boardsensors and other information sources in said first vehicle; means foremitting data that are relevant for said first vehicle or for othervehicles; means for receiving data transmitted by other vehicles; meansfor storing data obtained from at least one of received and own data;means for relaying of received data by re-transmission of these data ina processed or unprocessed form; and means for creating and transmittinginquiries concerning data which may possibly be finished by othervehicles.